History

Thirty-five years ago, Holland Construction Services began as one man’s vision to build a construction company based on integrity, trust and long-lasting relationships. Today, the company has grown to become one of the most respected and sought-after contractors in the St. Louis region and Southern Illinois.

Founder and CEO, Bruce Holland, began the company in 1986 as a full-service general contracting company, and quickly grew as one of the Midwest’s pioneers in the Construction Management delivery method. His goal was to give honest bidding, transparency, and in turn, develop trusted relationships with both his clients, and the subcontractors and architects they worked with.

Bruce’s roots in the construction industry run deep, having spent more than 20 years in the industry (primarily at Bauer Bros. Construction) before taking the leap to launch Holland 35 years ago. Bruce, along with Mike Marchal as President and Doug Weber as Vice President, lead Holland Construction in its mission to identify and deliver on their clients’ and employees’ objectives, ensure their total satisfaction with the construction experience, and as a result, develop long lasting relationships.

Part of the company’s success can be attributed to its adaptability. Over the years, the company’s areas of expertise have continued to evolve and expand from primarily retail projects in the beginning, to schools, healthcare facilities, multi-family, senior living, recreation, public safety, and industrial projects. As a result, the company now has a footprint throughout the St. Louis and Southern Illinois region on a variety of significant developments. Several high-profile projects completed in the past few years include the new 144-bed HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and medical office building (MOB) and new 94-bed Memorial Hospital East and MOB both in Illinois; Volpi Foods new meat slicing and packaging facility in Union, MO; numerous luxury apartment complexes across the St. Louis area (Whispering Heights in Edwardsville, Villages of Twin Oaks, Chroma Apartments near downtown St. Louis, and Encore at Forest Park); recreation complexes for the cities of Bridgeton and Fairview Heights; and senior living communities in O’Fallon, IL as well as in the Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio areas.

Holland’s ability to continue to grow throughout the years is also due to a commitment to attracting the best talent. “There has been a world of positive changes since we started the company but the thing that impresses me the most is the quality of people we have and watching them grow and expand their careers," said Bruce. “The special culture we have created here has allowed for the planned growth of our people and our company, year by year, while also creating an environment where individuals can grow professionally and have the ability to give back.”

Consistently rated among the “Best Places to Work” (St. Louis Business Journal), Holland fosters a family-friendly culture and has introduced unique programs throughout the years to encourage a work/life balance. In 2016, as part of their 30-year anniversary, Holland introduced a 3-week paid sabbatical program available to employees for every five years at Holland, along with a stipend to use for their trip. This unique opportunity gives Holland employees a chance to focus solely on themselves and their families and discourages any kind of work during this time. It’s a time to unplug, relax and rejuvenate.

Additionally, in keeping with Bruce Holland’s life-long personal commitment to community philanthropy and involvement, Holland encourages volunteerism and opportunities to give back, establishing the Holland Employee Charitable Foundation (HECF) several years ago with the mission of helping others in the community. The firm’s charity golf tournament, The Klondike Klassic, has raised more than $225,000 for local charities, now topping $25,000 annually.

Mike Marchal, who joined Holland in 1997 and became President in 2011 after working his way up through the ranks, believes all the important ingredients are in place for continued growth. “With a foundation of integrity and our culture for taking care of others, we have created opportunities for growth throughout the organization that has prepared our current and future leaders to take the company to another level,” said Marchal. “Our clients will continue to benefit from the expertise we have gained in a variety of market sectors, paired with the intense focus we apply to surpassing their needs and objectives.”

Repeat and referral work from existing clients has played an important role in Holland’s growth, and those relationships are now paving the way for the company to continue to expand its workload.

“We are in the process of finalizing plans to open an office in St. Louis this year,” said Marchal. “Also, based on our previous work with several clients who are also expanding their businesses, we have opportunities for strategic growth in other areas around the country including Ohio, Tennessee, Florida and Arizona. We are a growing company, but our reputation of integrity, creating opportunities, and helping our community are the lifeblood of our business and Bruce’s legacy, and that won’t ever change.”